WK: History of a Harbour
This exhibition delves into the past, examining the events and people who are now an indelible part of Wick Harbour’s history and heritage.
The herring industry is the nucleus of these stories and activities and will be seen to loom large within the political, social and environmental landscape.
Reproduced are historical archives, evidence of past activity and transaction that allow us a deeper insight into the narratives, vocations and circumstances that filled the harbour with life.
Many of the archives reproduced below were recently (2020) accessioned into our collections from the Wick Society and we are very grateful to be able to showcase them here. We would also like to thank Am Baile and the Johnstone Collection for kind permission to reproduce many of the images included.
The full exhibition – including photographs, a video presentation, and more information about the coopers, curers, fishermen and the ‘herring girls’ of the industry – is available here: https://www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/wk-history-of-a-harbour/online-exhibitions-wk-history-of-a-harbour/herring-gutters/
In 1954, Dounreay in Caithness, on the north coast of mainland Scotland, was chosen as the site for a new type of nuclear reactor. The aim of the project was to assess the effectiveness of fast breeder reactors in generating power for electricity. It was a huge undertaking that would require a sizeable labour force to be imported into the sparsely populated county.
The decision to site the project in Caithness was a great boon for the area. As a county that relied on farming and fishing for its employment, modernisation meant jobs had become scarce. Stephen Cashmore explains that:
The building of ‘atomic’ housing was vital to the fast breeder reactor programme at Dounreay. Without the allure of modern, attractive houses at reasonable rents, drawing skilled workers to the far north would have been near impossible, given the perception of the area as bleak and remote.
Throughout this exhibition we’ll be showcasing high resolution photographs from the air, ground and inside of some of the houses themselves, exploring wonderfully detailed architectural plans, displaying the Dounreay Householders Handbook in its entirety and hearing the recollections of those who lived and worked in Thurso in excerpts from the Dounreay Oral History series.
To view the full exhibition, including high-resolution building plans and a full copy of The Dounreay Householders Handbook issued to everyone allocated an Atomic House, please click here: https://www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/atomic-housing/
Our previous exhibition, ATOMIC HOUSING: Thurso Transformed, explored the amazing changes to the built landscape of the Thurso area. This was the result of a new type of nuclear reactor being built at Dounreay from 1954 and the subsequent need to house a wave of new workers that tripled the population of the town.
We also touched on the social change this influx of new families made upon life in the county. This exhibition looks to explore further that unbelievable social change through the archives of the Dounreay Social Clubs held at Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives.
To view the full exhibition and read more about the history of these social clubs, just click https://www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/atomic-recreation/
The Caithness Archive is actively seeking information and images from the Wick Dounreay Sports and Social Club. If you have any stories, memories, or photographs, please contact [email protected] and the team will be delighted to hear from you.
